Applicator having compressible plastic holder



March 4, 1958 P. D. SANBORN 2,825,084

APPLICATOR HAVING COMPRESSIBLE PLASTIC HOLDER 7 Filed April 16, 1956 I 6PHILLIP DONALD $5533? A BY,

ATTORNEY United Stews, st

mesne assignments, to National Laboratories, Inc., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 16, 1956, Serial No. 578,229

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-210) This invention relates to mops but particularlyto an applicator mop for use in applying a liquid chemical to toiletbowls or the like for cleaning same and an object is to produce a newand improved applicator of this type in which the bundle of yarn formingthe applicator head is secured to the handle part in a simple andeflicient manner militating satisfactorily against the yarn coming looseand providing an exceptionally secure fastening free of sharp edges andof a chemical resistant sturdy material.

Another object is to produce an applicator of the above type in whichthe handle as well as the fastener device are of a plastic materialhaving certain characteristics of compressibility' and resiliencyenabling a fastener of the staple type to be employed in such mannerthat the bundle of yarn forming the applicator head may be attached tothe handle by merely pressing the fastener into holes provided in thehandle structure.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment ofthe invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 isa perspective view of the applicator with the head fastened thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the applicator handle;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the applicator handle showing theU-shaped fastener attached thereto but without the applicator head orbundle of yarn secured in place;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing one leg ofthe fastener being driven into the applicator handle;

Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the end'portionof the handle and showing the U-shaped fastener in applied position; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 but with the yarnforming the mop head secured in place.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises an applicatorhaving an elongate tubular handle 10 provided with a downwardly inclinedtapered inner end portion 11, opposite sides of which are substantiallyparallel and flat and the upper and lower surfaces also being flat buttapering toward each other so that the free end is of considerably lessthickness than the remainder, particularly as shown on Figure 3. Formedin the outer end portion of the tapered 'end 11 is a pair oflongitudinally spaced parallel holes 12. These holes are of shoulderedconstruction having a relatively large upper cylindrical cavity 13 and arelatively narrow cylindrical lower portion 14 providing a reduced neckportion.

The applicator head is secured to the handle by a U- shaped fastener 15which has a cross piece 16 and integral parallel legs 17 formed withrearwardly tapered or frusto conical heads 18 providing a relativelyflat shoulder at the inner end thereof.

In this instance, both the handle and the fastener 15 are of plasticmaterial such for example as polyethylene and a particular polyethylenefound particularly suitable in this connection is that which is soldunder the trademark Super Dylan, a product of Koppers Company, Inc. ofPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That particular plastic has considerable heatresistance and rigidity and tensile strength. lt is chemically resistantand is resiliently compressible at room temperatures. its chemicalresistance lends itself for use in connection with an applicator forliquid chemical used for cleaning toilet bowls and the like. itsresilient compressible nature lends itself to this particular purposebecause the fastener 15 may be forced into the holes 12 by merelyexerting the proper pressure thereagainst. Although the tapered head 18is considerably larger than the neck 14 of the holes, nevertheless byimparting the proper pressure the head is compressed as indicated atFigure 5 but as soon as the head passes the reduced neck 14, itimmediately expands to its original shape thereby preventing thefastener from being pulled outwardly. Preferably the outer ends of thefastener heads 18 do not project outwardly through the enlarged portions13 of the handle holes in order to obviate any projections.

In practice, a bundle of yarn such as a textile yarn or synthetic yarnwhich have compressible characteristics is laid across the end portion11 of the handle between the holes 12 and then the U-shape fastener 15straddles the yarn and thereafter the fastener is forced into the holesuntil the heads are able to expand into the enlarged portions thereof.The inherent resilience of the yarn causes it to assume the pompon-likeform as shown on Figure 1. To assist in forming this form of applicatorhead 21, an inwardly dished or upwardly curved surface 20 (Figure 4) isformed on the under face of the handle end portion 11. Thus with asizeable bundle of yarn, a portion thereof is forced into the dishedportion which contributes to the ball-like head.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice ofmaterials may be effected without departing from the spirit of theinvention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An applicator comprising a handle, a pair of shouldered transverseholes in one end of the handle and spaced longitudinally from eachother, each hole having a relatively small portion communicating with arelatively large portion, a U-shape fastener having plain parallel legsand tapered heads on the free ends thereof with the heads disposed inthe larger portions of the holes and the legs disposed in the smallerportions thereof, said fastener and handle being of a compressibleresilient plastic material whereby both the handle material adjacent theholes and the legs of the fastener yield as the heads of the fastenerpass through the smaller portions of the holes during insertion of thefastener, and yarn in the space between the fastener and the handleand'compressed thereby to provide the head for the applicator.

2. An applicator comprising a handle, a pair of shouldered transverseholes in one end of the handle and spaced longitudinally from eachother, each hole having a relatively small portion communicating with arelatively large portion, a U-shape fastener having plain parallel legsand tapered heads on the free ends thereof with the heads disposed inthe larger portions of the holes and the legs disposed in the smallerportions thereof, said fastener and handle being of a compressibleresilient plastic material whereby both the handle material adjacent theholes and the legs of the fastener yield as the heads of the fastenerpass through the smaller portions of the holes during insertion of thefastener, and yarn in the space between the fastener and the handle andcompressed thereby to provide the head for the applicator, there beingan Patented Mar. 4, 1958 inwardlymdishednsnzfanennflthe between saidholes into which yarn is forced by the fastener.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Parantau Aug. 14, 1917 Lester July 5, 1927Planding 'J... May 26, 1936 Hofiman May 25 1954

